Pretending
by puppy-on-crack
Summary: Draco pretends a lot. Then again, so does Harry. Together in a room they pretend that they no longer have to fake being what they are. Not slash. NOt incredibly depressing but not the happiest. I suck at summaries. Sentient Hogwarts (kind of)


When I thought of this story I was in the shower. I don't know why but for some reason this thing jumped into my head and began to bang around. So much so that I didn't go to sleep, despite having a test the next day, and wrote a majority of this story late into the night (it was already late when I started). So there is very little editing in this story, like all my other ones. Its kind of depressing but not really. Certainly not as bad as my other ones.

Disclaimer (because I forgot it on some of my other stories): I don't own shit. In fact im broke. So I cant pay legal fees if I do copy write infringe.

~~~~~0O0~~~~~~

Draco pretends a lot. Draco pretends that he doesn't have the Dark Mark. That the black tattoo was never burned into his skin with and evil his and a flash of pain. That he was never tied to a vengeful master who he never desired to follow in the first place.

Draco pretends he doesn't see his father's cruelty. He pretends that he doesn't know about the dungeon that his father stores women in for fun. Similarly he pretends that when he doesn't get beaten every time he is caught giving those women food and potions. He pretends that he isn't caught every single time.

Draco pretends that he doesn't stare at the other boy in the room.

Harry pretends that he likes the attention from everyone. That he enjoys the pictures and the press and it doesn't make him sick to his stomach every time he sees his face in the news. Harry pretends to smile every time someone hands him a picture for him to sign. He pretends to enjoy meeting these people who love him for his scar.

Harry pretends that he doesn't flinch every time someone yells at him. He pretends he doesn't flinch because he pretends that Uncle Vernon never hit him. Never yelled hurtful words at a weak target then holed him away with barely any food under the stairs.

Harry also pretends that he doesn't stare.

Draco pretends that he cares about blood purity. He pretends that he knows that his blood is surely more red and wonderful than any other persons. He pretends to laugh when he hears his friends make snide comments about those who don't have pure blood. He pretends that his blood is blue.

Draco pretends that he is not hungry at dinner. He pretends that his mother never told him that he looked chubby. After all, no Malfoy has ever been fat. Never. So Draco looks at his plate longingly before he shoves it away as he fakes disgust.

Draco pretends that he is not a Malfoy.

Harry pretends that he likes to hear about his parents. Harry pretends that he enjoys when everyone repeats that he looks like his father but, as everyone says, he has his mothers eyes. He pretends that it doesn't hurt that everyone reminds him of the things he has lost.

Harry pretends that he likes his friends. Harry pretends that he doesn't mind that Ron always abandons him or that Hermione always insults his intelligence. He laughs when jokes are not funny and he cares when he doesn't.

Harry pretends he is not a Potter.

Draco pretends that nothing effects him. He pretends that every time someone insults him that he doesn't hear it. He doesn't hear his father call him useless, his mother call him a disgrace, his peers call him evil and his mind calls him weak. He pretends that he is deaf.

Draco pretends that he is cruel. He laughs when others are hurt instead of helping like he would want. He pretends to tease instead of compliment. He pretends that he has no heart. He pretends that as each lie he tells he can't feel his heart shrink even more.

Draco pretends he is cold.

Harry pretends that he wants to save the world. That he wants to throw his life on the line and leap into battle instead of hiding away. He pretends that every person matters to him, even when he knows that he cannot and will not save everybody. Harry pretends that he is a hero.

Harry pretends that he loves. That he cares for his friends. That he has fallen deeply for Ginny despite foreseeing their doom in their relationship. He pretends that the wizarding world is his home. Harry pretends that he loves his life.

Harry pretends that he is warm.

Hogwarts doesn't pretend for these boys. Hogwarts truly loves these misguided souls. That's why Hogwarts lead the two here. A silent day the boys pretended to have a conversation in which they both agreed that they would meet. That they would mourn together. They both pretended that in that conversation they agreed never to speak.

Hogwarts was okay with that, though. She was happy as long as they were. So Hogwarts filled that one room with all the love she could muster. So that for a short while the two boys could pretend that the love Hogwarts had created, the joy she had helped them gain, was truly part of their lives. Not just a part of this room.

Hogwarts pretends she can save them.

Draco pretended that the love was the love of his parents. That they cared for him more than a toy. More than an heir they had to train like a dog. He pretends that they hugged him, read him stories but in his heart he couldn't even pretend that they had said they ever loved him.

Harry pretended that the love was his true love. The one person who would see past the scar. See past his name. That it was the one person who never commented about his parents, his abilities, Voldemort. Someone who would smile at him and say "I love_ you_" and truly mean it.

Both boys pretend that they are loved.

Both pretend that they don't need this room. That they don't need this place to feel good. That they don't pretend that this room is the one place they can be free. They pretend that they don't find comfort from their companion even though they will never speak.

Both pretend that they are not damaged. That their souls and hearts have never been stained black by their childhood. That they both had choices how they wanted to live.

Both pretended that they wanted to live.

Both survived the war. Bloody, broken and dirty they were both _alive_. As the party of victory progressed it was the only thing that the boys could think. Amazement rang through them as they continuously felt their pulses and could feel the thud of each heart beat.

Not hours after the final battle two boys showed up to a room in the bottom of Hogwarts. With a nod they both acknowledged the others presence but neither boy spoke. Instead they both sat on the same coach and pretended.

They pretended that the war had never happened. That enemies had never been born. That friends had never been murdered. That alliances had never been formed. That scars had never been received.

They pretended that there was no reason for them to grieve. There was no reason for them to cry. They pretended together that they had a reason to be happy that was more than a death of a common enemy.

They pretended that they weren't Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy.

Harry pretends that he is a little boy. That he has two parents who love him. That he is on a playground surrounded by friends. He pretends that he has never had to fight, never had to cry, never had to go hungry, never had to lie.

Draco pretends he is a child. Pretends that he was born into a normal family where he could play and be happy. He pretends that he never had to taunt, never had to pledge loyalty, never had to cry, never had to pretend to superior or anything more than he really was.

Both pretended together that they were friends. They pretended that rivalry and family never kept them apart. They pretend that their kindred souls could be each other companion and could have been their entire life.

Both pretend that they are friends and the war never happened.

When the boys leave the room for the last time, they smile at each other. Hands are shook and a quick hug is gone in a blink of an eye. Each one pretends that they have a conversation. Both pretend that they come to the same conclusion. They are not going to pretend anymore. They will live their life like they do in this room. Dropping all pretence and living as they always pretended they would.

Neither boy pretends that they won't see each other again. Neither boy pretends that they aren't happy that they are now friends, even though they never spoke a word to each other.

~~~~~~~0O0~~~~~~~~~~~

Well there you have it. Not the best, but certainly not the worst. I don't normally ask for reviews (I find it redundant after a while) but if you do wish to say anything about what I have written feel welcome to it. It is the only good thing that can happen to me anytime soon. **There is a possibility of a sequel**. I just need someone to tell me that they want one.


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